The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 28: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a eurmetances, too—the least ho oould have done would—...” “ Would have been to wish us good bye,” observed the two handsome girls pouted their pretty lipe,—lips on which an Anthony might have sealed the loss of the empire of a world! “But do notlet us think of Mr. Harley any longer,” suddenly exclaimed Octavia, proposing however some- thing to which she could not possibly settle her mind, inasmuch as the handsome person, the elegant man- ners, and the varied conversational powers of that geutleman had made a deep impression upon her. - © No—we will banish him from our memories,” ebserved Pauline. “Indeed, we ought to think of the poor lady up-stairs, whom the accident to the barouche will perhaps render prematurely a mother.” “ And she is of course totally unprepared for such an event,” said Octavia. “I will steal gently up to the room—knock at the door—and inquire if we can possibly be of any service ——” “Do so, dear sister,” interrupted Pauline: “for I can assure you that Mrs. Mordaunt’s beautiful countenance, though convulsed as it was with suffer- ing, completely prepoeseesed me in her favour These ladies are evidently rich:—did you observe what magnificent furs they wore—and what costly lewellery they had about their persons ?” “'Yes—they are both handsomely dressed, and very superior in their manners,” said Octavia. “They more- over travelled in good style—a barouche and four, with a valet and a lady’s-maid: and yet they could not be going to a great distance—for they do not appear to have had any boxes or portmanteaus with them.” “The same circumstance struck me just now,” gemarked Pauline. “In my opinion they are people ronche was & pluin one—without any arms upon the pap ee “And the valet was not in livery,” added Octavia. * But while we are wasting time by chatting in this manner, as if nothing unusual were going on in the house, the poor lady may require our services in some way or other.” Scarcely were these words uttered when th the door epened and Mrs. Smith made her ap My dear young ladies,” she eaid, “I know not how to thank you sufficiently for your kindness to- wards my bosom-friend Mra. Mordaunt. I feel deeply all the generosity of your conduct; and—par- don me for making such an observation—but rest aesured that it ahall not go unrewarded.” “Oh! madam,” ejaculated Octavia, the blood rushing to her cheeks: “ though we are poor, we are not mercenary ——” “I know it, my sweet girl,” interrupted Mra. Smith, in a kind and conciliatory tone: “ neverthe- less there are means of proving one’s gratitude in a sabstantial manner, and yet so delicately as to give no offence. However—we will not say any more upon that subject at ; present : for I have yet another favour to solicit —— “Speak, madam— speak,” cried Octavia: “any- thing that we can do to serve yourself or your friend shal] be done cheerfully.” “My request is that you will show our female at- tendant Matilda the way to the surgeon’s house,” answered the lady. “Mr. Thurston himeelf—for euch I understand to be his name—is unable to quit THB MESTRRIES- _ wn Pee ee eT 18 his patient up-stairs; and he has written a short note - which must be immediately forwarded to his wife, in order to procure certain little articles absolutely ne- cessary under present circumstances. But as Matilda is quite ignorant of this neighbourhood— and as we cannot think of suffering you to go out any more alone at so late an hour ——” a | am ready, sity reas shawl, which she had laid aside in the parlour on hes return from the previous visit to the surgeon’s. The lady’s-maid was thereupon summoned; and night, conducted the dependant to Mr. Thureton’s residence. Mrs. Thurston was in bed; but a servant speedily answered the door, and admitting Miss Clarendon and Matilda into a parlour, took the note up-stairs to her mistress. We should here observe that the surgeon and his wife were in the habit of receiving at their house ladies who were in a way to become mothers, and who had special reasons for retiring into a strict se- clusion during the period of their confinement. A good supply of baby-linen was therefore constantly kept ready by the thrifty and meney-making Mra, Thurston; and it was for articles of this kind that Matilda had been sent with the note. The "s wife, presuming from the nature of her husband’s note that he had in hand a case that was likely to prove lucrative, manifested no displeasure at being summoned from her warm couch, but rose imme- diately and packed up a quantity of baby-linen in the course of a very few minutes. The servant de- livered the parce] to Matilda, who, thus provided, returned with Octavia to the villa. The lady’s-maid was a shrewd, cautious, and re- served young woman, of about five-and-twenty. She was tolerably good-looking, well educated, and of superior manners for her position: in fact, she was the daughter of a poor curate in some remote dis- trict, and who having s large family to support upon ninety pounds a-year, while his rector had five thousand, was compelled to allow his eldest children to accept menial places in wealthy families. During the walk to and from the surgeon’s hotne, but a very few words were exchanged between Miss Clarendon and Matilda; and those were confined te obsegvations of no particular interest. We must now introduce the reader to the chamber where Mrs. Mordaunt was lying in the pangs of maternity, with the surgeon on one side of the bed and Mrs. Smith on the other. The young lady who was thus about to become a mother, was, as we have already stated, about eight teen or nineteen years of age. She was tall and well formed,—with a fall and rounded bust, volup- tuously developed,—a remarkably clear and beauti- ful complexion,—large blue eyes, with dark fringes and brows delicately pencilled,—lipe that were the least thing coarse, but between which gleamed rows of pear],—and a nose and chin that were exqui- sitely chiselled in the purest classic style. Her luxuriant light brown hair now flowed in rich, curlea and wavy masses all over the pillow, and wantoned | upon the bosoin that was palpitatmg with the throes of both bodily and mental agony. Mra. Smith was likewise a handsome woman, of r} style of beauty contrasting altogether with that which we have just described: for her hair and eves were black —her complexion was of that cleas olive, or ED OTD a ee fe i EE Oe ee oe eee ae op ee nents, gael = COLT (>) cCLAOO©) CO